Ministry of Rural Development
Saras sales touch record high at the 41st India International Trade Fair, did a business of over Rs. 6 crores
More than 300 craftsmen from 26 States exhibited their products in SARAS Aajeevika Mela
Saras Aajeevika Mela 2022 concluded today, breaking all its old records with a business turnover of more than Rupees 6 crores in last 14 days. The finest handicraft and handloom products from the remote areas of Rural India were displayed at the SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2022, organised by the Ministry of Rural Development and National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj  at the 41st India International Trade Fair  at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
More than 300 craftsmen participated and showcased their products through around 150 stalls in the exhibition. Around 300 women from self-help groups from 26 States displayed handicraft, handloom and natural food items from different rural areas across the country in these stalls.
Huge number of people visited Saras Aajeevika Mela during the trade fair in Pragati Maidan. Saras remained the favourite choice of the visitors due to decorated stalls, spectacular theme pavilion and cultural programs in the evening.
The famous SARAS Aajeevika Mela, focusing on the theme of ‘tradition, art, craft and culture’ is one of the most prestigious government initiatives, that not just offers best of the cultural heritage, but also tells the story of rural women donning the hat of an entrepreneur at a national level platform.
A wide range of products from over 26 States were exhibited for sale at the SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2022. The SARAS Aajeevika Mela showcased the best of its collection in handloom sarees, dress materials, accessories and organic handicraft products from different states across India. Each stall, each product and each of the participating rural SHG women had a story to share. SARAS offered the listed products at the exhibition.
Handicraft: Bamboo art and water hyacinth products from Assam; Madhubani paintings and Sikki craft from Bihar; Candles, Soap, Wooden name plates from Chhattisgarh; Wooden toys, decorative items from Goa and Gujarat; Metal art, Terracotta item, Artifacts from Haryana; artificial flower art from North East; Jewellery from Karnataka; Footwear from Maharashtra; Sabai handicrafts, Brass item, Golden grass products from Odisha; Bangles from Bihar; Jute Hand bags from West Bengal were some of the showcased items.
Handloom: Silk saree, cotton saree, handloom cloth, cotton suit from Odisha, Bihar and Chhattisgarh; bedsheets from Uttar Pradesh; Kantha Stich sarees and dress materials from West Bengal; exclusive sarees of Telangana and Kerala; Woollen and Pashmina shawls of Jammu & Kashmir; dress materials, woollen shawls and jackets from Uttarakhand, woollen shawls from Himachal Pradesh; hand crafted jutties and mojeries, leather items of Rajasthan, leather lamp sheds, painting and wood craft of Andhra Pradesh.
Food items: Natural food items, gram-flour, rice, cashew nut, organic pulses from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, spices and coffee from Kerala, tea leaves from Sikkim, organic vegetables and spices from Uttarakhand; medicinal herbs, rice and honey from Uttar Pradesh and mahua ladoo from Chhattisgarh etc.
The SARAS Aajeevika Mela helped in spreading the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local, Local to Global’
About SARAS Aajeevika Mela:
SARAS Mela is an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission [DAY-NRLM], Ministry of Rural Development , Govt. of India to bring the rural women SHG members formed under DAY NRLM, under one platform to showcase their skills, sell and build linkages with potential market players at fair price.